


Lonely

by MeltedDucc (meltedducc)



Series: The 13:00 Series [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Children, M/M, Minor Mikasa Ackerman/Jean Kirstein, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Single Parent Armin Arlert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 11:37:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16722615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meltedducc/pseuds/MeltedDucc
Summary: One of Armin's favorite parts of parenting is sharing stories with his daughter.*Epilogue to 13:00





	Lonely

The wind blew softly through the long, black hair that Armin was trying to braid. The more he thought about it, the more he realized they should have stayed inside to do this. But his daughter had insisted on getting her hair braided by the sea. Armin could never deny sitting by the chilled water anyway.

 

“Ow, Papa!” the small girl complained. Armin had accidentally pulled her hair too tight. 

 

“I’m sorry, love.”

 

“Uncle Jean doesn’t pull my hair.” She crossed her arms and pouted.

 

“I didn’t mean to, Darcy.”

 

“I know how you can make it up to me!”

 

“I don’t think it’s that big of a dea-”

 

“Tell me stories about Daddy.” Her loud voice quieted, as she sunk into herself, Armin’s hands stilling in her hair. 

 

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Armin said. “I’ve told you almost everything I know.”

 

“Think of something.”

 

Armin couldn’t deny his daughter whenever she asked about Levi. Especially since she didn’t ask that often. He wracked his brain for things to tell her.

 

“Oh! I have a story,” he said.

 

“What’s it about?” Darcy turned to look at her father, her blue eyes widening in interest.

 

“It’s about a conversation we had…”

 

* * *

 

Armin had agreed to go on a date with Levi. He was nervous since it was his first date with anyone.

 

They had agreed to go to a local tea shop, well hidden in the marketplace. Armin chose his best white button-up and some black pants he had borrowed from Mikasa to wear. 

 

When Levi walked up to him, Armin offered him a flower he had picked to give him. Jean gave Armin the advice of giving his date a flower when he asked.

 

“Thank you.” Levi was surprised but took the flower anyway. He snapped the long stem off and placed the remains in his jacket pocket. He led Armin to the door of the tea shop and held it open for him.

 

As soon as the door was opened, their senses were filled with the smell of tea, multiple flavors lined the walls of the shop. Armin followed Levi to the shelves filled with tea. 

 

“What do you like?” Levi asked.

 

“Um… I don’t really know. I’ve only ever drank black tea.” Levi grunted in response and grabbed two tea bags, carrying them to the barista behind the counter.

 

“Two green teas? That’ll be three dollars,” the young man said, grabbing two mugs.

 

Armin reached into his pocket to grab some money, but Levi beat him to it. The older man paid for the teas, then turned to Armin. 

 

“You can pay me back later.”

 

Armin didn’t know what he meant by that, but all of his thoughts caused a blush to spread across his face.

 

Once the teas were done, the couple picked up the mugs and chose a table in a corner to sit at. Armin took a sip of the tea. 

 

“This is so good!” he said. “How come we don’t have this at Headquarters?”

 

“It’s expensive if you haven’t noticed.” Levi took a long sip. “We should have it more often. It’s supposed to have calming effects… or some shit.”

 

“You know a lot about tea, don’t you?” Armin leaned forward on his elbows, all his attention focused on Levi. 

 

“I…” Levi took another sip, then looked away. “I collect tea leaves.”

 

“Oh. That’s cool!”

 

“I’ve always wanted to open a tea shop.” He looked out the window, appearing to reminisce about something.

 

“Why didn’t you?” 

 

Levi looked at Armin. “It’s kind of difficult to start a business in the Underground,” he snapped.

 

Armin ignored the tone in his voice and continued talking. “Well, why didn’t you try when you got to the surface?”

 

“Because I had to join the Survey Corps. And that’s all I ever do now.”

 

“You don’t do anything in your free time?”

 

Levi couldn’t believe the balls this kid had. Even when he had snapped at him, he kept talking to him with no fear, only curiosity.

 

“I don’t have a lot of free time, kid,” he said.

 

“Well… when this war is over, why don’t you try then.? I bet it’ll be good.”

 

Levi brought the mug to his mouth in an effort to cover up the smile spreading across his face. He had always found Armin’s never-ending curiosity and ability to formulate dreams endearing. 

 

“I’ll think about it.”

 

“I’ll be your first customer!” Armin declared.

 

“Okay.”

 

* * *

 

Armin and Darcy sat in silence for a few moments, letting the breeze rustle their clothes. 

 

“Is that why you have a tea shop, Papa?” Darcy asked.

 

“Yeah, it is. I wanted to live out your father’s dreams.” Armin looked at the waves rippling across the ocean, a feeling of peace coming over him.

 

“Papa?”

 

“Yes, baby.”

 

“I’m hungry.” Darcy pulled the long braid Armin had finished over her shoulder.

 

“So am I.” He stood up and brushed the sand off his pants. The little girl did the same to her dress. “Let’s go see if Auntie ‘Kasa has finished lunch,” he said, holding his hand out for her to grab.

 

They walked up the sandy hills and started making their way home.

 

“Uncle Jean said we could go shopping Friday,” Darcy said, swinging her and Armin’s arms.

 

“When did he say that?”

 

“Yesterday. He said I could get that pink dress at that store.”

 

“What store?”

 

“The store… with the dress.”   
  


“Does the store not have a name?” Armin teased.

 

“I forgot it,” she mumbled.

 

Armin chuckled and kissed her hand that was in his. “You can go shopping.”

 

“Yay!” 

 

They walked through their neighborhood, Darcy rambling on and on about anything and everything, while Armin listened quietly. Every time she opened her mouth, he could sense his wallet getting lighter.

 

Once they reached their house, Armin let Darcy walk over to Jean and Mikasa’s house- which was next to theirs- by herself.

 

“I’ll be there in a few minutes!” he said, walking into his home. He placed his jacket on the rack by the door, then walked into his bedroom. He opened the drawer in the table beside his bed and pulled out the thick book he had written years ago. The cover was slightly dusty, but it was still intact. He opened it up to the last page that Levi had written on… the last page that had ever been written in it. He picked up the cravat, which acted as a bookmark, and held it close to his face.

 

It had long since lost Levi’s scent, but the feeling of the material and the memories attached to it comforted Armin. He could understand Mikasa’s obsession with her scarf after Levi died.

 

He looked at the thin material, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

  
_ “I miss you, baby,”  _ he whispered hoarsely. The overwhelming feeling of loneliness had been slightly helped when he adopted Darcy, but it didn’t go away. It would never go away.

**Author's Note:**

> I've decided that her full name is Isabel Darcy Ackerman, and I love her.


End file.
